The Centre has approved a proposal to procure an additional 10 lakh MT of fortified parboiled rice from Odisha, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Friday.

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) will procure the rice from the state, he said in a statement.

Pradhan, who hails from Odisha, had on January 16 written to Food and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal, urging him for procurement of additional parboiled rice from the state during the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) of 2023-24 in the interest of the farmers.

Replying to the letter, Goyal informed him about the Centre's latest decision to procure additional fortified parboiled rice from the state.

It is estimated that 79 lakh MT of rice will be procured in KMS 2023-24 from Odisha, Pradhan had said in the letter, adding that despite this, the state will have excess rice even after meeting its own requirement.

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